1. Field of Invention:
The present invention relates to tie back clamps for cables in electrical power distribution systems.
2. Description of Prior Art:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,661,662, of which applicant is a co-inventor, relates to an apparatus for suppressing electrical arcs which arise when an electrical power line must be severed or cut for service or other work on the power line. After the line is cut, it has been the practice to turn a tail or end portion using insulative manipulator poles, known as "hot sticks" in the industry. The tails of the line on each side of the cut are turned using the hot sticks back onto themselves and clamped or held in place on the main portions of the line with clamps.
So far as is known, prior tie back clamps ave been in the form of sockets or passages, one for the tail and one for the main cable portions, integrally formed or otherwise fixedly connected to each other. This has caused problems in tie back operations. If the clamp was located at a wrong position too near the cut end, the tail could not be brought back into the other socket or passage on the clamp without putting an undesirable crimp in the line. Also, particularly with cable of any considerable diameter, it was a strenuous and exacting process to bring the end of the tall into a position of alignment with the second socket or passage of the clamp. This was particularly so when the alignment was attempted by a line worker spaced from the clamp by the length of the hot stick.